"Fisher Tiger Rampages Through the Holy Land — Turmoil Erupts in Mary Geoise!"
The moment Ren Kuro saw the headline, his expression changed instantly.
"Adventurer Fisher Tiger climbed the Red Line with his bare hands and caused chaos in the Holy Land, Mary Geoise… Looks like this just happened not long ago."
He frowned slightly.
Fisher Tiger had been captured shortly after setting out on his final voyage and sold into slavery. During his imprisonment, he endured relentless abuse and witnessed the very worst of human cruelty.
After three years of suffering under the slave system, he finally escaped—
and chose to return to Mary Geoise, to free every slave he could.
Ren Kuro hadn't expected to run straight into this event.
"From what I remember, during this attack, Tiger freed thousands of slaves—regardless of race—all of whom had been enslaved by the Celestial Dragons."
"And among them…"
"…was the future Pirate Empress—Boa Hancock."
Boa Hancock.
The only female member of the future Seven Warlords of the Sea.
The Empress of Amazon Lily.
Not only did she possess unparalleled beauty, she also wielded immense strength.
More importantly—
after escaping from the Celestial Dragons, Hancock and her sisters had no idea how to return home. In the end, it was Rayleigh and Shakky who helped them make it back to Amazon Lily.
Which meant—
Ren Kuro now had the chance to take Rayleigh's place…
and become Hancock's benefactor.
"If that's the case… I can't just sit back and do nothing."
Ren Kuro set aside his fishing rod and stood up in one smooth motion.
"Oh?" Gin Ichimaru stood at the edge of the harbor, his captain's haori fluttering in the wind, adding an extra layer of mystery to his presence. "That must be quite the news. Seems like it involves someone you care about."
"Gin Ichimaru, let's head to Grove 16."
After a brief moment of thought, Ren Kuro made his decision.
Grove 16 was a lawless zone.
If Hancock and her sisters had fled into the Sabaody Archipelago, that was the most likely place they would appear.
"So you're planning to interfere?" Gin pointed lazily at the newspaper, his eyes narrowing with a faint smile.
"Yeah. But if we do this, we might end up clashing with the Marines." Ren Kuro glanced at him. "Do you mind?"
"Oh?" Gin's smile deepened.
"Did you forget what I am?"
"I'm a snake. Cold-blooded… and when I find an interesting prey, I devour it."
"…Then let's move."
The corner of Ren Kuro's lips lifted.
With Gin by his side—
even if an Admiral showed up, he had nothing to fear.
Meanwhile — Grove 16
Following the chaos at Mary Geoise, a large number of Marines had suddenly gathered in the lawless zone.
They ran through the streets frantically, clearly searching for escaped fugitives.
For a time, panic spread throughout the area. Many fled immediately, afraid of being caught up in the chaos.
"Rear Admiral Megan, we've found multiple traces of escaped slaves in the lawless zone."
Several Captains reported to a middle-aged man.
"Seal off the area. Don't let a single slave escape," Rear Admiral Megan ordered, a cigar clenched between his teeth as he held a Den Den Mushi in hand, seemingly coordinating with other Marine units.
"The moment you find them—capture them all."
"Yes, sir!"
The officers saluted and quickly dispersed.
"To think someone dared attack the Holy Land…"
Megan exhaled a plume of smoke, a confident smile spreading across his face.
"But…"
"Admiral Kizaru is nearby."
"There's no way those slaves are escaping Sabaody."
Shortly After
The moment Ren Kuro and Gin arrived at Grove 16—
they immediately noticed something was wrong.
Gunshots echoed faintly in the distance.
"Sandersonia! Marigold! Run!"
A voice rang out through the chaos—clear, beautiful, almost ethereal.
Moments later—
three small figures appeared at the edge of Ren Kuro's vision.
"…Huh?"
When he saw them clearly, Ren Kuro's eyes widened slightly.
The three Boa sisters.
"Well, well… what luck."
Even though he had found them, Ren Kuro didn't feel relieved.
Because behind them—
he could already hear the sound of pursuing footsteps.
The Marines were right on their tail.
"Gin Ichimaru," Ren Kuro said seriously, "those are the ones I'm looking for. Make sure they're protected."
Then he stepped forward.
The Boa sisters, who had been fleeing, immediately halted when they saw him. They stared at Ren Kuro warily.
"Sister… what do we do?" Sandersonia and Marigold shrank behind Hancock, panic written all over their faces. They had already mistaken Ren Kuro for a pirate from the lawless zone.
"Don't be afraid."
Hancock stepped forward, shielding them.
"I'll protect you."
Though still young, Hancock carried herself with a composure far beyond her years.
She didn't look like a slave—
but like a noble lady.
"Don't worry," Ren Kuro said gently. "I'm not here to hurt you."
He smiled slightly.
Even as a child, Hancock already carried an extraordinary presence.
No wonder she would one day become the Pirate Empress.
"Sister… can we trust him?" Sandersonia asked timidly.
"What if he has other intentions?" Marigold added, uneasy.
"Don't trust me?" Ren Kuro shrugged lightly. "That's fair. Trusting strangers while you're on the run would be foolish."
"Then who are you?" Hancock asked, still cautious.
Somewhere deep down, she felt no hostility from him.
It was as if—
he genuinely wanted to help.
But before she could think further—
heavy footsteps thundered from behind.
A large group of Marines appeared.
At their head—
Rear Admiral Megan.
"Damn it—it's the Marines!" The sisters' faces turned pale with fear.
"Don't worry."
Ren Kuro stepped forward, placing himself in front of Hancock.
His eyes turned cold.
"We'll handle the Marines."
"You just stay back and watch."
To protect Hancock—
he had decided to act.